The invention generally relates to systems and methods for displaying traffic information on a map. In particular, the disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for filtering the traffic information in order to prevent or limit clutter on a display screen.
Modern aircraft typically include cockpit displays that are controlled by an information system. Cockpit displays include the basic displays that are supplied with the aircraft, and other add-on displays which vary in their degree of integration with the physical aircraft structure and aircraft systems. In addition, some known aircraft include displays which provide a “virtual” display-based interface through which the crew controls aircraft systems.
To promote safety and efficiency, electronic moving maps in general, and an electronic airport moving map (EAMM) in particular, may be provided on cockpit displays. The EAMM provides a map of the airport surface with an ownship position depiction, and may include cleared taxi route, and other operational information, for example, automatic terminal information service (ATIS)/notice to airmen (NOTAM) information, runway status, runway exit info, traffic, alerting, and other features. The EAMM may display only runways and runway information (e.g., in the form of an electronic runway only moving map), or may provide runway, taxiway and other features and information. During taxi, takeoff, on approach and during landing/rollout, the EAMM may provide runway related information such as runway status and related traffic, traffic conflicts, braking, and runway exit information.
Current implementations of navigation display and EAMM display range selection are typically in whole number increments (for example, 640, 320, 160, 80, 40, 20, 10, 5, 2, 1, and 0.5 nautical mile ranges) such that intermediate display range selections between the whole number increments are not utilized. Range selection may be defined by specific rotary switch positions, or an infinitely rotating switch may be used with the range selections coded in software. Further, the manual setting of the display range may preclude display of traffic, areas or other objects of interest, or other information within or beyond the display range of the EAMM that may be important to safety and/or situational awareness.
Different information shown on such displays are controlled by a plurality of push button switches that can be accessed by a pilot. Typically these are momentary two state on/off pushbutton information switches. These on/off switches are provided to allow the selective “on demand” display of information, and to declutter the display of such information when it's not needed. These pushbutton switches typically display all or no information.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2010/0283636 discloses momentary multi-state/mode switches (e.g., all, some, or no information). In one implementation, “some” information display involves intermediate filtered or otherwise processed levels of information, that may dynamically change as a function of ownship or traffic-related time, position, circumstance, or other logic. In addition, state or mode information may be selected manually or could be selected utilizing more sophisticated automatic state/mode changes enabled by the selected switch state. The benefits of such switches are increased functionality within the same switch space as a conventional on-off momentary pushbutton switch. The switches also support new types of situational awareness displays and aircraft system control in addition to allowing for the manual control of such displays and systems.
The display of all traffic symbology and data on an airport or runway moving map can result in clutter that makes the display unusable at the display ranges used during taxi, takeoff and approach/landing. This clutter results from the typical map display scales/ranges of 0.5 to 10 nm and the large numbers of aircraft and vehicles on the airport available for display.
There is a need for a solution that is free of the drawbacks of existing solutions.